Balconville. David Fennario

Kresge.

      CÉCILE

      Eh, Thibault, ton boss était pas trop fâché?

      THIBAULT

      Il a sacré un peu après moi, but so what, eh? Il est jamais content anyway. Qu’tu fasses n’importe quoi.

      CÉCILE

      C’est la vie, hein ça?

      THIBAULT

      Oh oui. C’est la vie. (He checks his transistor radio.) Hey, thirty-two degrees. That used to be cold. Now, it’s hot.

      CÉCILE

      Comment va ta mère? Est-ce qu’elle va toujours à Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs?

      THIBAULT

      Oh oui. Tous le jours. Mes frères sont tous partis, mais moi, j’suis toujours avec.

      CÉCILE

      C’est bien ça. Ta mère doit être contente.

      THIBAULT

      J’fais toute pour elle. Toute. Dans un an, elle va recevoir sa old-age pension et puis on va pouvoir s’payer un plus grand logement. On va déménager à Verdun.

      CÉCILE

      À Verdun. Ça va être bien ça. Thibault, ton boss.

      THIBAULT

      Oh oui. Mon boss. I better go now.

      THIBAULT exits. MURIEL’s phone rings. She goes into her house to answer it. CÉCILE goes into her house.

      MURIEL

      (on the telephone) Yeah, hello … Who? … Bill, where the hell are ya? … On the docks … shipping out to Sault Ste. Marie … Are you coming back or what? … Don’t give me that crap. What’s her name, eh? … Yeah, I’m getting the cheques … Tom? No, he’s not here … Yeah … Yeah … Look, I’m busy … Bye. (She hangs up the telephone.) Christ, I wish I knew for sure.

      IRENE and JOHNNY come out on their balcony. JOHNNY is sipping a cup of coffee. IRENE is wearing her waitress uniform. She is on her way to work.

      IRENE

      I want to talk to you when I get back, Johnny.

      JOHNNY

      Yeah, yeah. (sipping his coffee) Agh! What are you trying to do, poison me?

      IRENE

      I used brown sugar instead of white.

      JOHNNY

      Shit.

      IRENE

      It’s healthier for you … You going down to the UIC?

      JOHNNY

      Yeah.

      IRENE

      Today?

      JOHNNY

      Yeah, today.

      IRENE starts to come down the stairs.

      JOHNNY

      Irene, what shift are you on?

      IRENE

      Ten to six this week.

      JOHNNY

      Why don’t you quit that fucking job? Get something else.

      IRENE

      (stopping) Like what?

      JOHNNY

      Like anything except a waitress.

      IRENE continues down the stairs and exits down the lane.

      JOHNNY

      (shouting after her) Pick me up a carton of smokes, I’m sick of these rollies.

      Blackout.

      Scene 3

      TOM and JOHNNY enter from the lane. JOHNNY is carrying a case of beer.

      JOHNNY

      I’m telling ya, they’re all fucking separatists at the UIC. If you’re English, you’re fucked.

      TOM

      The phones are always ringing and nobody ever answers them. Ever notice that?

      JOHNNY

      Too busy having coffee breaks. (He hands TOM a beer.) Unenjoyment Disappointment Office.

      JOHNNY sits at the foot of the stairs. TOM leans on the railing.

      TOM

      Hey, I went down to Northern Electric. I figured I’ve been breathing in their smoke all my life, so the least they could do is give me a job. Didn’t get one … They’re automating.

      MURIEL comes out of her house.

      JOHNNY

      Hi, Muriel.

      MURIEL

      (to TOM) What are you doing?

      TOM

      Standing up.

      JOHNNY

      Wanna brew, Muriel?

      MURIEL

      I told you to keep your goddamn beer to yourself. Tom, come here.

      TOM

      What?

      MURIEL

      Never mind what. Just come here. (TOM moves toward her.) So, did you go to that job interview?

      TOM

      Yeah.

      MURIEL

      So?

      TOM

      So the guy didn’t like me.

      MURIEL

      He didn’t like you? How come?

      TOM

      I dunno.

      MURIEL

      What do you mean, you dunno?

      TOM

      He wanted to send me to some stupid joe job way out in Park Extension. Minimum wage.

      MURIEL

      Since when can you afford to be fussy?

      TOM

      I’d have to get up at five in the morning.

      MURIEL

      There’s a lot of things I don’t like either, but I do them.

      TOM

      Well, I don’t.

      MURIEL

      Anyhow, your father phoned. He’s not coming home.

      TOM

      I don’t blame him.

      MURIEL

      What’s that?

      TOM

      Forget it.

      MURIEL

      Don’t you get into one of your moods, mister, ’cause I’ll give it to you right back.

      MURIEL goes into her house.

      TOM

      Fuckin’ bitch!

      JOHNNY

      Hey, don’t worry about it.

      TOM

      Just ’cause she’s frustrated, don’t mean she’s gotta take it out on me.

      JOHNNY

      Let them scream, that’s what I do.

      JOHNNY leaves TOM and starts up the stairs for his balcony. TOM goes